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 Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2007 5:36 pm
The elf rolled his eyes at the blue drow and shook his head a little. "The only way I'll ever be connected to you Malik is me being under your house name, there's no need to be related in any other way." Though he turned to wards Lark and raised an eyebrow in return. "Why am I down here? I live down here don't you know that?" He smiled a little before he turned to the Inthara kids and gave them a light nod before getting up and following the others. When they got there though he raised an eyebrow at the girl that was in the room. "Hello, I think I've never seen you before, are you the one everyone is talking about?" He asked before looking at Malikhai and cringing a little. "Well it looks like you seen better days."
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Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2007 5:43 pm
Sevilin gave a chuckle. "You can make it up to him by baking him something. You do love to cook for those around you as sorry gifts. I'm still sick of the smell of cinnamon based cake." Shaking his head to that one with another chuckle and a sigh, letting her soothe him equally as he was hers. They were good for each other like that. "Then don't think of such things. When you do, you let him win. And if I know you and I would think I do by now...you don't let anyone win." Pressing a kiss to her hair and then turning her around and pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Come on now, your children are quite in a state of awe and probably upset as well."
He calmed down more when he saw his parents and made one of those toddler noises they made when they didn't have words to express how displeased they were and merely made grabby hands, snuggling into his mother's shoulder as he was handed to her.
"It's okay baby, no more tears. I'll let you cuddle on your brother all you want if you're gentle with him." Now giving a smile to Lharika. "I'm sorry if I ignored you earlier Lharika, but there were some pressing issues to attend to. Surprised as I am that you are here, it is also very good to see you." The whole group and whomever decided to follow making their way back to the inn and to Malikhai. She set Dhairiss on the bed, "Remember gentle." And then turned a look to Kaelin. "Thank you for watching him for me Kaelin. He tends to do stupidly manly things like get up."
Dhairiss was quite pleased to plop near his brother and curl up to his side, though away from bandages that he knew meant owwies and rested his head on his brother's shoulder. It was nice to know his brother was okay. After all they were bonded too and he didn't like those odd feelings.
Malikhai gave a little hiss as he shifted slightly so his brother could cuddle and not hurt him, and merely plopped an arm around the bot and patted his back. "I'm okay Dhair. Don't be sad." Thusly turning his attention to his parents, though his breathing was still off and he was obviously not enjoying his body too much at the moment. "Hi parents...guess there's always next year, huh?" Letting eyes slide to Galesen. "That's an understatment of mass proportions." Cough.
"Justification is it? Well I de remind you that is but the first of seven equally sized journals I have on the man, in chronological order from the moment I first heard of him, to this time here." His voice held no confrontation in it and he knew his place was not necessarly to defend Malik but to merely point out what was wrong and right it. "Let's speak truthfully then. The necklace around his wife's neck is indeed a collar. He tempted to make her slave under his boot just like everyone else around him. That didn't go according to plan however. He has never once used the collar's power on her and she has never cowed in fear to him. If anything, that woman threw him for a look and turned his world upside down and for the better. He'd follow her to the ends of the worlds I do believe."
Clearing his throat a moment, "Yes he does have breaker rooms in his home's basement, but they aren't used steadily anymore. Usually reserved for those that try to harm his family. The last man that was put there for serious means was by the name of Kaden Ravenwing, who was determined to either take his wife, at that time his fiancee, away from him or kill her in the process of reclaiming. Necromany is to him as anyone's profession is to them, it is an art that should not be shunned because of the atrocities that it can do. He'd rather use it to grow a fresh patch of wildflowers for his wife when she's missing the surface than say rip someone's spine out and play puppet with it."
Seemed all those years of consolidating information in the best way possible and spitting it back out was paying off for him this time. "I would not consider his son tainted. If you taught your son a power that could injure others and not all agreed to it, that could be seen as tainted too. That particular power was passed to his son merely as a defensive mechanism. And his son is often referred to as in the profession of a hybrid; a Shadow Paladin. One who uses darkness for a purpose other than delivering death and the like. If I wanted to make sure my children could protect themselves, I too would teach them a tactic that would fell something much larger than them with one tap. They'd stay alive."
Stopping for a moment and half turning to Rainmare, not exuding arrogance with his knowledge and ability to explain things in unbiased manner. "Additionally, a piece of information you may not think to ask. Malik regularly visits the surface, at least once every round about two years to ingage in a Council of planning and race relation. If he is not able to attend as say he didn't during the later half of his wife's second pregnancy, then he requests detailed notes." Tilting his head then, "What's next that you wish me to tell you?"
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Fractured Moonlight Captain
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Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2007 8:48 pm
Malik gave a nod to Kaelin and took off his armor and set it aside.
"Not quite. Malikhai on the second run unhorsed rainmare and shattered part of his face in the process. as far as anyone knows at the moment, Malikhai won the joust."
taking a seat and looking over his son carefully.
"So what was the damage? how bad was it?"
Rainmare looked at the journal, and back at the elf in front of him.
"the Harm touch is not simply some attack one can be taught to wield. if it was, more would have access to it. you have to accept the influence of a divine being associated with darkness and pain. Cazic Thule, Innoruuk...these dieties are not known for paladin like qualities."
"As to the other things. surface relations on a surface mean little. even Neriak has surface relations with Freeport. it doesn't make them any less vile or coldbloodedly vicious and cruel. your application on the use of necromancy...that is an interesting surprise, but that doesn't save the souls of those he has handed over to his necromancers to experiment with. surely you have something more substantial to advocate this claim of a change in heart. neither of us apparently know or were present beforehand for thier prior meetings, so neither of us have the right to claim that she turned his world upside down or he never used a collar on her ro the purpose of it's original intent."
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Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2007 9:06 pm
"He likes cookies, maybe I'll do that." Leave it to Sevilin to brighten her world by mentioning one of her loves. She didn't want to let him win and giggled up at him, looping an arm around his waist. "Indeed. Back to being a mother." Thus strolling over to the children and soothing her youngest then glancing over her other three. "Zykariel, are you racing?" She let Faate look over her person to her heart's content. She worried. "I'm fine, Faatallon." Ruffling her hair and giving Lyssie a hug when the younger girl threw her arms around her.
He glanced up, meeting his mother's eyes for a moment then glancing over to his father as well. "No. I refuse to lose Malikhai's money on top of everything else and with the state he's in, I don't think my concentration is enough to actually pull a race off right now. I'm too distracted, too stressed. And besides, I can use the time to catch up on my schoolwork."
Kaelin merely nodded and waved the others off, stepping back. She blinked in surprise at Galesen, wondering if he was any relation at all to the elf who had done this but deciding he couldn't be. "Everyone is talking about me?" Cue paranoid look. She didn't even hear Malik's announcement, too busy trying to figure out why people would be talking about her...
Lharika chuckled and was intensely pleased when Dhairiss was no longer her concern. She nodded to her sister, "Thought you might need some emotional support with this whole thing even though I'm not fully sure what this whole thing was." Waving her hand and then moving over to take a look at Malikhai. "Well, I believe you look just like you did when we decided to paint the nursery by mixing the paints and ended up with brownish purple. It took us all day to mix them and just when we were ready to paint, Zykariel knocked the bucket and spilled it all over you." Laughing softly in remembrance, "Come to think of it, it's probably a good thing since we would have gotten in major trouble if we would have painted the nursery."
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Picking Up Stars Vice Captain
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Fractured Moonlight Captain
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Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2007 9:22 pm
He didn't know whether to be pleased or not and thus merely sighed and leaned his head back on the pillows. "I just can't win an event on my own, can I?" One had been handed to him, another had been won for him. But for now, it was probably better if he didn't focus on things such as false victories and the like. Damage reort time, "Have some broken ribs. Don't know how much Zahara did for that but I still feel horrible." Letting his eyes drift to Lharika, giving her a smile as well. "I remember...do I look that bad? Geez and here I thought I was just an unhealthy purple."
"Emotional support. That's a good way to put it. And I'm glad to have it." Watching everyone more or less as they wanted a look at Malikhai to see how it was. Though she was rather focused on Malik and the interaction with his first born. Wasn't that a prime example right there? Malik cared for that boy in all forms, and was even willing to show that softer side around him. She was sure it wasn't pleasant seeing him like that and somewhere in Malik's head he saw himself even. Everyone wanted to correct their old lives by not repeating things.
"Grow up in a house there one parent does not turn eyes up to Gods and the other one turns eyes to the only one he's ever known. Isn't it plausible to say that a child is used to the influence because it's in the house and can weild such things as opposted to being tainted and ruled by such a thing? And got to a culture and ask them to define a Paladin. Even they kill and use means that are not as benevolent and pure as most seem to think."
He nodded lightly. "Granted you have a point but within your own point you also present the flaw in your ambition. If you were also not there...then how do you know he is still what he claims? Blindly following the words of others and past actions? That is foolish. If one is always looking to the past, they are never moving forward to a furture."
Hmm one of those wonderful moments of those where he turned a phrase. He enjoyed those. "And just for the record...I was there to see a lot. I have been involved with Malik for a number of years now and I do know his actions and have seen them first hand. Not all of them granted, but I have seen many. And if you can't believe me, then why not just ask her? Or is your predetermined perception of her make you shy away from the truth you may find?"
"See, all better." Thusly following her up to find thier little flock of children, who all seemed to be happier with thier mother back around them. While Zykariel's show of loyalty wasn't surprising...the following way to spend the new free time was. He usually didn't just jump on school things like that. "Sounds like a smart decision. I'm sure a lot of your fellow racers will be disappointed but that just makes for better competition next time."
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Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2007 9:57 pm
"A paladin's powers flow through defense and healing. protection. smiting of the unclean and undead. I am a paladin, I know my power and my limits thus. My points and reasoning come from centuries of experience, and seeing the results. I have tread in the godly planes, and one plane in particular. we refer to it as the plane of justice. I follow what my eyes saw and what experience tells me come with those like him."
"I met a woodelf in the plane of justice, awaiting her trial by the tribunal. her crime was love of a tier'dal. her love lead her to do things that while her eyes never saw the results, her hands were stained by them. all for a love that betrayed her in the end, slain by her own once husband due to a lack of further usefulness. as such, I cannot trust the word of a married woman to him as her words and mind may be tainted to his defense and benefit."
"There are only three dieties that grant the harm touch. they represent Hate, Fear, and Decay. none of them are the kinds of influences a parent would want on a child unless they deemed it more potent to have them int hat manner than another. that is why we call it a taint. is soils to soul."
"the only thing I have seen and be convinced of so far is that Malik D'vinn has gone from bloodlusting meglomanic to a careful, controlled serial killer and torturer. and I'm sure at these councils you speak of, his primary need is to acquire power. be it in financial or other arenas."
"You did fine on your own. but there was no way to beat that elf. he has at least eight or more centuries experience, and has been battle hardened to a degree you cannot begin to know. Now, if you'd want that experience, I'd have to take you to a place you probably would never, ever make it to, and if you did, your mother would first have a nervous breakdown and then both of us would be dead meat thirty second after she laid eye on us."
A small smile, before looking over to Kaelin.
"And don't you be shy over there in the corner. these others here are Lark, my wife's adopted sister, and Galesen, a human brained elf who is only still just learning to be a real elf in most reguards. nothing to be worried about."
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Picking Up Stars Vice Captain
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Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2007 11:26 pm
Caught...and called out in front of everyone too. She gave a nod to all, well aware the moment all pairs of eyes turned to her. She was suddenly hot and flustered but merely straightened her spine and gave a nod. "I didn't want to intrude on the family..."
Lharika threw her head back and laughed, pressing a kiss to her nephew's nose, one of the only spots that wasn't all purplish and bruised looking. "I have missed you so, Khai. You look awful but it's a good kind of awful if such a thing can be so." Shaking her head. "Now I sound like Daddy Kieran. The important thing is you are alive to tell the tale and tell it you should, embellishments and all." She knew her sister was glad she was here and that only added to her already congenial mood.
Zahara nodded, rather pleased by her son's declaration, holding her children close and soothing them. Lyssie released her mother in short order and threw herself at her father instead. Kelligrin snuggled into her embrace. Ah, her babies. "Well, I think that is a marvelous idea. We'll be going home soon, children." Turning to the other elf still with them. "Mykorian, congratulations! Third place for your first try is quite impressive. Malik will be pleased." Pausing a moment. "Have you thought anymore about his offer?"
Zykariel looked a little uneasy for a moment, not certain to do with the subtle praise he was given. He knew his father was taken aback, which was part of the reason he'd done it. Liked to keep Dad on his toes. "Yeah...I guess. Besides, Malikhai needs my help with Kaelin or he's going to completely screw it up and his confidence will nosedive. That's not a pleasant thought considering he's my backup."
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Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2007 6:17 am
Galesen of course gave a light sigh to Malik and shook his head. The drow doesn't stop with the teasing doesn't he? A look back to the boy in the bed and he raised an eyebrow. "Well I could of said you don't look too bad but that be not a good choice of words to explain your condition really." Though he smiled at the sight of little Dhairiss laying next to his older brother, it was cute really. Eyes slid on over to Kaelin and he popped an eyebrow. "Well from what I heard yes but there is nothing to worry about." A look back to the now purple elf and he smiled a little. "Hey no matter what you did your best and you did really good. I say that's something to be proud of."
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Fractured Moonlight Captain
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Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2007 2:48 pm
"Again this is your definition of a Paladin. Some define one as merely a bringer and upholder of justice. When talking of such things one must look outside the bounds of their own knowledge and into the bounds of another perspective." Shaking his head lightly. "And I say to you again about his wife, look outside your own perspective and preconceived notions. Piper rarely if ever lets him get away with something more 'evil' in it's ways and when she does catch him, she puts a stop to it. You could even say she punishes him in subtle ways for it. She is anything but blinded by her love."
Shrugging lightly. Arguing was not his way here, simple reminder and enforcement that there were different viewpoints in the world besides the one you knew and you were not always right. "As for dieties...well all I can say is what I said before. If it is useful to protect my child's life and I have the ability to have them learn and use it, so long as they do it responsibly, then there is no true harm. Besides, even Gods need faith to survive."
Grinning lightly, "Actually no. Malik does not try for those means when he's in Council. Andalian Council is in concern for Andal and Andal only. There also is no true currency, we're a trade plane. Malik can trade for steel for here, yes but he has to give something else in return. As for other areas...little beyond trade agreements." Sure it may seem like Kieran was repeating himself some, but he couldn't give what one refused to see because they looked only through their own eyes.
"Perhaps you have something else I can expand on that we haven't touched on yet?"
"Well...he won't be there next year. Next year I'm going to win all by myself and won't have to worry about grudge-bearing lunatics." Shaking his head lightly before a cough. "And let's not upset mom...her bond feels scary enough as it is." Titling his head back so to let Kaelin back into his vision he gave her a smirk, "You're not intruding. There's no such thing as intruding in this family." Continuing to let his brother cuddle and staying still as Lark was affectionate as well, rather than playfully pulling away as he usually did. Moving hurt right now. "Embellishments and all huh? I'm going to have to get some more friends if I want to do that." Another cough and cringe before he turned eyes to Galesen. "I get it already, just gotta pay for it now."
Piper rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, shaking her head lightly. They loved to pick on her didn't they? Though she knew it was all in love and what not. Besides, whatever they used to bond closer was good enough for her even if it was a laugh at her expense. Her own personal thoughts were in other places though...she was still worrying.
Sevilin nodded. "The boy is practically your brother, and it's always wiser to choose family over your own personal perhaps selfish endevours." Reaching down and picking up Lyssie as she still wanted attention. "I'm sure you'll brush off on him enough eventually."
Mykorian blushed slightly, scratching at his hair. He seemed to be getting more attention in the last few days than he had in a long long time. He was finding that he was enjoying it too. "Well, it's not really a big deal. I mean there weren't that many competeing anyway. But thank you." Blinking then at the new topic, "Um, I dunno...I mean it's a big change and all.."
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Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2007 5:02 pm
"That may be. but next year is next year, so don't worry about it just yet. concern yourself more with keeping injuries and such at a minimum. and feel free to make some friends for embellishment. and yes, lets not overstress your mother moreso than she already is."
Settling down in a chair, and taking a look around.
"Kaelin, feel free to continue anything that Zahara instructed you to do. don't mind the rest here, if you have anything she wanted done go ahead and do it."
Rainmare took a moment to let that sink past.
"We can go back and forth on this for the rest of time. do you have anything, a speech, an action, anything that you can use to show a remarkable and complete difference between the Malik I knew and the Malik you claim to know that I cannot refute through various examples both from my experience or the vast experience of about every races documented interaction with a Tier'dal?"
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Picking Up Stars Vice Captain
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Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2007 5:25 pm
Kaelin was paranoid, but she looked at Malik and shook her head. "He wasn't to be alone. That was about it." and well, there were plenty of people in the room so that one was completely taken care of, now wasn't it? Yes. Grabbing Galesen by the shoulders, she forced him to make eye contact with her and growled, "Who is speaking and what are they saying?"
Lharika chuckled, "That sounds like a personal problem to me, Khai. Kariel would likely spread the word anyway you wanted him to and he has enough friends from what I've heard. Borrow a few of his, he won't even realize it."
Zahara watched her youngest daughter snuggle into her father's embrace and shook her head. Technically Lyssie was too old to be held like that but Sevilin was strong enough and she knew her daughter needed it so she'd let it slide. "We don't want another Zykariel. We want our Malikhai so try not to change him too much." Ruffling her oldest's hair and then nodding to Mykorian. "Oh don't be silly. You should take great pride in that sort of accomplishment. Number of participants hardly matters. You did a wonderful job, Mykorian." She nodded at his uncertaintly and reached out, brushing a speck of dirt off of his face. Mother thing. "Yes, it is. But you want to seriously consider it. Malik doesn't offer such a thing very often which means you really impressed him."
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Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2007 5:40 pm
The elf gave a light sigh, no matter he said the boy in the bed always countered his words. Did he ever upset Malikhai in some way when he was a child or was it the fact he still acted 'human'? Whatever, Galesen will be there for the young man if anything would go wrong and he needed help. Hey he was a part of the family and is one of Malik's 'employees.' He has had to look into a few things before. A blink though as suddenly he was looking right into Kaelin's eyes, frowning he sighed a little. He wasn't going to be scared by a girl. "Excuse me but if you want to know it's not right to ask in this manner." He pulled away as he still looked down at her. "Who I meant is some of the people in this room, they haven't say anything wrong about you at all but more or less in a manner to poke at Malikhai in a teasing way. Is that what you want to know?"
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Fractured Moonlight Captain
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Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2007 5:52 pm
"The ones that come immdiately to mind, you would douse like placing a candle under a waterfall. You would do such because though his intentions pure his method was harsh. You seem to find the greater value in the actions as opposed to the word and intentions." Shaking his head, it was hard to deal with these kinds of people who took face value over everything else in a situation. Humans had a smiliar analogy...if a man stole a loaf of bread to feed his starving family, did that make him a bad man for his theivery?
Kieran produced another journal, flipping through the pages a bit before handing it over. "The Malik you seem to be referring to is the one that lets hate consume and guide him, yes? Well I have documented many a conversation with him...most importantly ones regarding his wife and all involved in why he did what he did. Which was choose to be with her. You'll find a few in there. Also, a speech he made at his wedding is there...try reading it with an open mind and see what it does for you." Shaking his head lightly. "No one can offer you concerete proof because you are the one who deems it worthy or not. I myself have fought with Malik, spent quite a bit of time with him and have questioned most matters of his past. I could tell you why I think he'd changed but I don't know if you'd even believe the answers."
"Gotta find some elves my age first, dad." But a sigh and he shifted some, much with a cringe and pained noise as he sought out a comfortable position in the bed. A look over to Galesen and Kaelin as she seemed rather upset that people were talking about her, wasn't that just like a girl, and Galesen trying to uphold things. "Zykariel is the popular one that's true. But those are his friends and what not. Half of them don't even really know about me save that I finance racing." Cough and taking a moment to catch his breath against broken ribs. "How long are you staying Lark?" And then a look to Malik as he remembered something. "And what happens with you and Wyndrider now?"
He squinted one eye as she did the mom thing and made sure there was no dirt on him. At least she didn't lick her finger first...sure mom spit took anything off but at the same time, ew. "Impressed him huh? Well...I suppose I could think about it. I mean I just don't want to impose on anyone and it sounded like I was going to have to live down here and the like."
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Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2007 6:53 pm
"What happens between me and him depends on how things turn out with Kieran. if things go well...we probably won't have to worry about him. if things go bad, there's an enivitable trainwreck in our future."
Glancing at the girl, but not saying anything.
Rainmare handed back the one journal and took the other one, flipping through pages, taking a look over things, and reading.
"and what did you two fight about?"
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Picking Up Stars Vice Captain
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Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2007 7:37 pm
Kaelin stared at Galesen for a long moment and then shook her head. "It got your attention, did it not? Now, answer my question. Why are the people in this room talking about me and what are they saying? Things in reagards to Malikhai...what does that mean? Be specific for goodness sakes."
Lharika glanced at her nephew and shrugged. "I really don't know. However long it takes Daddy Kieran to take care of what he came down here to do. Once things settle, I'll head back home, but right now home is not the best place to be."
"Yes, which as I said before, is rather hard to do." She was quite pleased with both her husband and her son and she bounced her younger gently in her grasp, perching him on her hip as he continued to gaze around, taking it all in. "It would require you to live down here and probably only see your family on certain occassions. But the rewards would be great. It is more who you know that will get you anyplace worth being in this world. Your ability can only do so much. Take Sevilin, my husband, for example. He wouldn't be down here if it weren't for Kieran and Kieran wouldn't have given out his name if it weren't for Piper. Because Malik knew Piper, I met and have now married Sevilin and that is the reason all of these children are here as well."
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